People risk life to pick up logs among floods

Logs and firewood swept away from upstream are like manna from heaven

Floods in central Vietnam over the last few days have left 7 dead and 2 missing, according to data from The National Committee for Search and Rescue.

Despite this fact, many local residents in Huong Khe District in the central province of Ha Tinh have risked collecting logs trapped among flood waters.

On November 2, floodwaters in Huong Khe District started subsiding gradually, revealing logs trapped by firewood and garbage.

Many large logs with 2-meter length and 50-centimeter diameter are also stuck.

Local people, both young and old, actively engaged in collecting logs.

As roads are submerged by water, people have to use boats to take the logs home.

Young men from Gia Pho Commune are trying to drag logs out of woodpiles.

After 15 minutes, a man made it success to pull out a big log.

“I collect woods for later use while some others often sell them to carpenters,” said a local.

Tuan, another collector, said that it’s quite hard and dangerous to pick up logs among floodwaters but people all see them “a gift from the gods” so they’ll try their best to collect logs.

The man in the picture said that he was very happy after finding a large piece of wood.

After being picked up and taken home, logs will be dried for later use. Tran Ngoc Duong, a state official in Gia Pho Commune, said that not only local residents but also people from neighboring areas flocked to collect woods despite various warnings the authorities had given.